Tuscaloosa City Schools To Debut New 'Literacy Bus' This Friday At Live At The Plaza

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Tuscaloosa City Schools (TCS) will officially unveil its new mobile literacy bus at the Live at the Plaza concert this Friday in Government Plaza.

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As Patch previously reported, the literacy bus is a former school bus that has been transformed to feature a wide selection of children's books, comfortable areas for sitting, free wifi and also tablets that children can use to read electronic books or play learning games.

"This is about community outreach," TCS Superintendent Dr. Mike Daria said. "It's not just about our TCS students, but it's the Tuscaloosa community at large."

TCS says any child can board the bus, and parents and guardians are encouraged to visit the bus with their child.

What's more, children will also be able to receive a free book from the literacy bus to take home with them and keep — an effort that is paid for by a community literacy grant received by the city school system.

"We are really excited about this bus, to provide resources for families in the community as well as every school in the Tuscaloosa City Schools," TCS Director of Student Literacy Terri Byrts said. "It's very important that all children are reading, and for them to see reading or literacy as a task, but a skill and that they love to read, because we know that reading takes our children further."

The bus was paid for through a literacy grant and TCS says it will visit community events, along with making scheduled stops across Tuscaloosa. It will also be available for use by organizations such as the United Way of West Alabama.

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